TransPennine Express

[CraigAyr]

Hi guys,
Im travelling Down to Preston from Glasgow on the transpennine express. I would have ideally travelled with virgin but they had no trains running that suited. Any comments on the TPE? ive heard good things and bad things about it.
Thanks

 

[Bayum]

I like their 185's, sometimes between manchester and york they can be busy - standing only - no idea of passenger numbers on that route though

 

[yorkie]

Short trains with few seats, very loud underfloor engines. Which is good or bad, depending on your point of view. At least it drowns out the general noise of people on phones etc...

I believe the FC upgrade is £6 but not sure if it costs more on weekdays, and is well worth it for that distance as the seating is significantly better in FC.

Some trains may well be full and standing, if you say which service you are getting someone may be able to advise.

 

[mrcheek]

If FC upgrade is cheap, then go for it. Ive only travelled on a couple of TPE services, but on one occasion, from Manchester to Leeds, it was standing room only the whole way in standard class, even though it was the middle of the day, not a peak time service, but I was the only person sat in first class.

 

[driver9000]

busy and not suited to AngloScottish work. The 1/3 and 2/3 doors make the saloon draughty when the doors are opened, the trolley sometimes cant get through the train as they are regularly standing room only with little large luggage space and the seats are a little thin. I personally dont like the 185 on the Scottish route they are too short and with a 100mph top speed they have a lower top speed than the old loco hauled trains had 10yr ago. As already stated the engines are rather loud and can be intrusive when under full power, in their favour they are fast at pulling away from standing start, the leg room is way better than on a Voyager or Pendolino and the window to seat ratio is excellent.

 

[will1337]

I didn't notice TPE were now doing the Manchester - Scotlands until recently and was rather surprised. It doesn't seem to make much sense having the 185s go that far, especially in single, although the only time I've done it there was a loco hauled train with quite a mixture of carriages not long after privatisation. Why TPE and not XC or VWC?

 

[BlueGrey]

I didn't notice TPE were now doing the Manchester - Scotlands until recently and was rather surprised. It doesn't seem to make much sense having the 185s go that far, especially in single, although the only time I've done it there was a loco hauled train with quite a mixture of carriages not long after privatisation. Why TPE and not XC or VWC?

The only people it makes any sense to is the government who forced it through.

 

[adamp]

Maybe its just me or the track, but I always find the 185's throw you around abit in comparison with say something like a class 158. And the seats arent that comfy IMO.

 

[Max]

Would definitely recommend the £6 weekend first upgrade, you won't regret it, 185 first class is far superior to standard.

 

[Techniquest]

Agreed. Sat in Standard Class for some time before now, and whilst it isn't bad it is definately better in First Class. Did the £6 upgrade from Stockport to Cleethorpes in April 2007 en-route to a North East rover bash, had something like 3 cups of coffee and a few packs of biscuits to keep me going until tea time (never found time for lunch!) which, combined with the additional comfort, made it totally worthwhile.

Not done a 185 on a MAN - GLC/EDB yet, but I can imagine they'd be rather busy! I personally didn't find the noise of the engines intrusive, and it has to be said that they are rather quick off the mark. No hanging around like you do in 158s!

 

[First ScotRail]

Good service operated by FTPE to Scotland. Especially in 1st class you get a bigger breakfast and day time box compared to the rest of FTPE. Seating on trains usually after preston is not usually a major problem to glasgow anyway (from my journeys).Std class seats are uncomfortable for long distance though. Overall 7/10 in my opinion.

 

[djw1981]

The twice I traveled on FTPE from Glasgow south, FTPE had no catering staff in standard or First - I was in standard so no real issue, but teh FC passengers were moaning about paying extra for nothing....

 

[Nym]

for notohing, I've been in 1st when it was de-clasified once, the seats are MUCH better, if you get a decent conductor, or land it lucky on a service, it won't fill up till preston when you get off k

 

[metrocammel]

for notohing, I've been in 1st when it was de-clasified once, the seats are MUCH better, if you get a decent conductor, or land it lucky on a service, it won't fill up till preston when you get off k

I was on a TPE service (which was going to Barrow afaik), I was getting off at Preston though. The train was absolutely wedged- and the FC was declassified, however, the guard was very keen to announced it was only declassified as far as Chorley- at which point if anyone remained sat in there, they would be charged at the full FC fare from their origin station(!) Surely, if theres been an announcement that it has been declassified, after the 're-classification', they should only be charged from where the train was re-classified from?

Anyway, that's a little bit of a tangent, but I agree 185 FC seats are far better than the very vertical standard class equivalent. I have to agree though, although they have fewer seats than Pendo's / Voyagers, having to endure their uncomfortable standard (which, is slightly improved in FC, but still not a patch on comfortable Virgin mk2/3 FC seats) class seats since 2002/3, it is largely irrelevant- as they all feature the same levels of 'low comfort'. :???:

 

[RailwayBear]

I go down to carlisle on the TPE services regulary using my staff passes i find them ok had no problems so far..

 

[voyagerdude220]

But the thing which has deterred me from using TPE to/from Preston and Scotland, apart from the fact I could always take one of my lovely Super Voyagers, and almost always get a friendly TM who I already know, the prices of the TPE FC Singles on the Scotland route are often very expensive compared to VWC.

E.g. for tomorrow Preston to Glasgow: 2 out of 3 TPE services have no Adv FC Singles left, and the one which does have FC singles is £31. The other two have no AP singles what so ever.

However, VWC even have the cheapest £14.85 YP Single on the 11:19 Pendo, arriving 13:46, with the majority of the other VWC services (both Super Voyagers and Pendos) going for £24.40 r/c FC , or £9.90 SC.

It's interesting that one of you has mentioned that TPE have a larger breakfast box on the Scottish services, compared to the others... But I'd probably much rather take a Super Voyager, or Pendo, than a 185 tbh.

 

[Nym]

As would I, although I'd rather be on a Mk3 or Mk4, any day...

 

[djw1981]

The infrequent service is also a factor on the heavy loadings - with only 3 direct services to Glasgow, and many older people not wanting to change, the services tend to be quite full. An alternate hours service would be nice from EDB/GLC (ie hourly south of Carstairs) but I assume that depends whether if TPE get the 180's, they will lose some 170's, or will they just have a larger fleet?

 

[voyagerdude220]

They can do whatever they like with the 170's....

After my only trip on a TPE 170 between Hull and Leeds, I was almost ready to comit suicide, after being driven mad by the 170, despite being the sole occupant of the FC carriage all the way......

What surprises me however, is the fact that i've enjoyed many journeys on FSR170's before (all in SC) and found them to be highly rateable.

 

[me123]

I can only say that all FSR 170s I've been on (including one SPT 170) have been extremely comfortable and quiet. The seats are really comfortable and well shaped, most if not all seats have decent views outside, the atmosphere is bright yet cosy, and the announcements aren't too long. I fully agree with you. I find it surprising that TPEs 170s can be worse than FSRs :?

Perhaps in FC, you're closer to a cab?

 

[voyagerdude220]

Yes, I was immediately behind the front cab, but the cab noises didn't annoy me at all. I found it a little interesting listening to to the AWS etc functioning.

 

[Max]

After my only trip on a TPE 170 between Hull and Leeds, I was almost ready to comit suicide, after being driven mad by the 170, despite being the sole occupant of the FC carriage all the way......

I totally agree with you, I hate the TPE 170s and it an absolute farce that we ended up with them solely on the Hull route. They are uncomfortable and far too short - 2 carriages? It's an absolute joke considering we used to get 3 car 158s with considerably higher capacities!

 

[Techniquest]

I totally agree with you, I hate the TPE 170s and it an absolute farce that we ended up with them solely on the Hull route. They are uncomfortable and far too short - 2 carriages? It's an absolute joke considering we used to get 3 car 158s with considerably higher capacities!

Indeed, when I was last on the Hull TPX route (April 2007, a time when 170s were taking over from 185s), I was so excited to see a 185 arrive on the next TPX run to Leeds when I was awaiting a Northern service that I jumped on, totally forgetting that it didn't go to Doncaster (which is where I was going for diverted HSTs) and having to bail at Selby for a Northern service to York and forget the rest of the night. Still, it was required and I needed a 185 on that route, so I'm chuffed at that still.

Bloody sick of TurboRats myself, they are nowhere near as good as the FSR ones.

 

[Max]

Still, it was required and I needed a 185 on that route, so I'm chuffed at that still.

It's still possible, but only on the 0600 Hull-Liverpool and the 2222 Leeds-Hull. There are more on Sundays but I'm not sure of the diagrams. I know the 0905 Hull-Liverpool is booked 185 though.

 

[Techniquest]

You can be sure I'll be avoiding 170s on the route then when I next go up that way! Ta for the gen.

 

[yorkie]

But the thing which has deterred me from using TPE to/from Preston and Scotland, apart from the fact I could always take one of my lovely Super Voyagers, and almost always get a friendly TM who I already know, the prices of the TPE FC Singles on the Scotland route are often very expensive compared to VWC.

But if the upgrade is only £6, why not just buy SC and upgrade on the train? or is there something I am missing...e.g. do they not allow upgrades on AP tickets or is it 'ubject to availability 'nd there never is on that route or what?

 

[voyagerdude220]

The Weekend FC Upgrade is not valid when holding a SC AP Single unfortunately, although the quite new VT priced CDRs Preston-Glasgow/Edinburgh are very good value for money

 

[Techniquest]

There's a CDR from Preston to Glasgow/Edinburgh?! Didn't know about that!

 

[1D53]

The Weekend FC Upgrade is not valid when holding a SC AP Single unfortunately,

I did it :???:!

 

[voyagerdude220]

Well many TOCs say that you can't, but in reality i have done so myself with other TOCs who say the same thing..